Socket reducing means for open end wrench



B. G. SLAGL-E 3,083,599

SOCKET REDUCING MEANS FOR OPEN END WRENCH Filed Dec. 27, 1960 FIG.3.

FIG.4.

42 FIG.5*.

HVVENTOR Bobby G. Slcgle BY Y AJTIXHVEY States 3,083,599 SQCKET REDUCING MEANS FOR {BEEN END WRENCH Bobby G. Siagle, Box 6219, Niceville, Fla. Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,353 3 Claims. (Ci. 81180) forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the Wrench construction and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, arrangements and improvements herein shown and described. The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the open end wrench;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view with a jaw insert being partially shown in perspective;

FIG. 3 is a sectional front elevation view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the shank of the instant device taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the shank in receiving relation with respect to a jaw insert taken along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a jaw insert according to the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional front elevation view of the said jaw insert taken along line 66 of FIG. 6.

The invention is directed to providing improvements in open end wrenches, particularly to selectively reducing the recess within a head of the wrench, the resulting recess dimension being unyielding and strong.

To that end one object of the invention is to provide novel means enabling preselective variation of the distance between the parallel jaws of an open end wrench, each selected dimension being rigid with respect to jaw separation.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of means whereby an open end wrench may be adapted to various nut sizes, there being no sacrifice in the compactness thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an open end wrench having a plurality of novelly mounted jaw reducing inserts which may be quickly and easily interchanged for accommodation of a wide range of nut sizes.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a compact open end wrench, the jaws of which are adapted to receive reducing inserts, said inserts being storable on the shank of the wrench in a novel and useful manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an individual variable open end wrench possessing the versatility of an entire set but capable of being manufactured inexpensively, being conveniently manageable and of great strength regardless of the jaw size requirements.

It will be understood that the foregoing general objectives and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention. Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 3,083,599 Patented Apr. 2, 1963 shows the open end wrench designated generally by numeral 1.

Open end wrench 1 is seen to be comprised of shank 2 and of heads 4 and 6 positioned integrally at either end of said shank 2. It will be further observed that said heads 4 and 6 are possessed of recesses '8 and 10 respectively, saidrecesses being defined by fiat-surfaced parallel jaw members 12, 14 and 1-6, 18 respectively.

Jaw insert 20, illustrated in isolation in FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings is representative of any one of a plurality of reducing members adapted for varying the space between said parallel jaws, other jaw inserts in cooperative relation with said open end Wrench, being shown in FIGURE 1 as 22, 24 and '26. While uniformity among jaw insert members is maintained with respect to dimension A, it will be shown that variation of the space between the said parallel jaws is achieved by virtue of the variation in dimension B among the jaw insert members.

Portion 23 of jaw member 12 and portion 30 of jaw member 18 being comprised of downwardly converging side walls designated 32 and 34 in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, this figure being in cross section of portion 23, forms a trapezoidal configuration readily adapted to receive any one of the said plurality of reducing members by virtue of the complementary trapezoidal configuration provided by downwardly converging side walls 36 and 38 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 7 of the drawings, the said dimension A of the said configuration being uniform throughout the said plurality of jaw insert members.

Jaw insert member 22 illustrated secured over flat-surfaced parallel jaw member 12 is seen partially received by the said jaw member in broken line position 23.

Retention of said insert upon a jaw member being satisfactorily realized by dint of friction between the said complementary trapezoidal configurations, installation and removal of said inserts may be readily and quickly accomplished.

Shank 2 positioned intermediate said heads 4 and 6 and integral therewith is comprised of upper portion 40 and lower portion 42, side walls 44 and 46 of said lower portion 42 being shaped to converge toward the longitudinal axis of said shank, the lower portion of said shank being of trapezoidal configuration, as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the trapezoidal shape being complementary with respect to dimension A of said jaw insert members.

Referring to FIGURE 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that converging side walls '44 and 46 of lower shank portion 42 contain cut-away portions '43 and 50, said cut-away portions being confined within arcuatc region 52 of shank 2 as shown in FIGURE 1. Said cutaway portions being destructive of the trapezoidal configuration, otherwise continuous the length of the lower portion of said shank, provide said shank with entrance means whereat jaw inserts 29, 22, 24 (shown on shank), 26, etc., may be receivable for slidable retention upon said shank. Retention of said insert members upon said shank is positive in the manner of a monorail, converging side walls 36 and 38 defining trapezoidal area 54 being complementarily secured upon converging side walls 44 and 46 of said lower portion of said shank.

While shank and insert may be secured in a frictionally slidable manner as disclosed herein with respect to jaw member and inserts, the criticality of tolerances with respect to the shank and insert relationship may be eliminated inasmuch as both wrench and inserts are generally constructed of ferrous materials having magnetic characteristics. That is magnetization of said inserts would materially obviate the otherwise present problem of inadvertent separation of shank and insert, thereby permitting these members to be be loosely slidable with re- ,spect to one another. Removal of said jaw inserts may be accomplished through reversed procedure, said cutaway portion providing exit means for this purpose.

Thus, consonant with those objects hereinbefore set forth, it will be understood that an open end wrench having a pair of flat surfaced parallel jaws mutually spaced 1 inch for example, may be reduced to etc., inch sizes by virtue of jaw inserts as described. Storage .of said inserts upon said shank according to this invention provides a novel combination both functionally and structurally capable of fulfilling those above stated objects.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimedis:

1. An open end wrench comprising a shank having an upper and a. lower portion, said lower portion of said shank having sidewalls converging toward the longitudinal axis of said shank, a head at oneend of the shank, a recess in said head, a pair of flat-surfaced parallel jaws included within said recess, at least one of said jaws having downwardly converging side walls, a jaw insert slidably receivable and frictionally secured on said one jaw, said converging side walls of said shank having oppositely disposed cut-away portions, a plurality of jaw inserts be,- ing receivable upon said cut-away portions for slidable retention upon said shank, said jaw inserts, said lower .portion of said shank and said one jaw being of complementary configuration to permit said jaw inserts to be slidably receivable on said jaw and said lower portion of said shank.

verging side walls, a jaw insert slidably receivable on said one jaw, a cut-away portion provided within the said lower trapezoidal portion of said shank, a plurality of jaw in; serts receivable upon said cut-away portion for slidably securing said jaw inserts with respect to said trapezoidal edge of said shank, said jaw inserts, said lower trapezoidal portion of said shank and said one jaw being of complementary trapezoidal configuration to permit said jaw inserts to be slidably receivable on said jaw and said lower portion of said shank.

3. An open end wrench comprising a shank having a lower trapezoidal portion disposed longitudinally thereof, a head at each end of the shank, a recess in each of said heads, a pair of flat-surfaced parallel jaws included within said recesses, at least one of said jaws having downwardly converging side walls, at least two 'jaw inserts, each of said jaw inserts being interchangeably and slidably securable to each of said one jaw, a cut-away portion provided within the said trapezoidal portion of said shank, a plurality of jaw inserts receivable within said cut-away portion for slidably securing said jaw inserts to said trapezoidal edge of said shank, said jaw inserts, said lower trapezoidal portion of said shank and said one jaw being of complementary trapezoidal configuration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS' 

1. AN OPEN END WRENCH COMPRISING A SHANK HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER PORTION, SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHANK HAVING SIDE WALLS CONVERGING TOWARD THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SHANK, A HEAD AT ONE END OF THE SHANK, A RECESS IN SAID HEAD, A PAIR OF FLAT-SURFACED PARALLEL JAWS INCLUDED WITHIN SAID RECESS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID JAWS HAVING DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE WALLS, A JAW INSERT SLIDABLY RECEIVABLE AND FRICTIONALLY SECURED ON SAID ONE JAW, SAID CONVERGING SIDE WALLS OF SAID SHANK HAVING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED CUT-AWAY PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF JAW INSERTS BEING RECEIVABLE UPON SAID CUT-AWAY PORTIONS FOR SLIDABLE RETENTION UPON SAID SHANK, SAID JAW INSERTS, SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHANK AND SAID ONE JAW BEING OF COMPLEMENTARY CONFIGURATION TO PERMIT SAID JAW INSERTS TO BE SLIDABLY RECEIVABLE ON SAID JAW AND SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHANK. 